USPS Hank Aaron

USPS commemorated Hank Aaron and his outstanding baseball career on 31 July 2024 with a postage stamp created by artist Chuck Styles and designed by Greg Breeding. A digital painting of Aaron is shown during his time with the Atlanta Braves. The pose is his famous right-handed batting stance from the waist up. 

The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

 Hank "Henry"  Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021) was a professional baseball player who was part of Major League Baseball (MLB) for 23 seasons. He played from 1954 to 1976, with most of that time spent on the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves (he spent two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers). Aaron played as a right fielder and designated hitter, becoming famous for breaking Babe Ruth’s long-time home-run record in 1974. He held the record for 33 years.

Aaron grew up in Mobile and Toulminville, Alabama, with his seven siblings. When he was young, his family was too poor to buy baseball equipment, so Aaron used a stick and bottle cap for his bat and ball. After high school, Aaron signed with the Negro American League. Not long after, Aaron signed with the Braves and worked his way up through their farm teams. On 13 Apri 1954, he made his MLB debut.

Throughout his career, Hank Aaron faced many obstacles, including varying degrees of racism. He often couldn’t stay in the same hotels or eat in the same restaurants as his teammates. When he was about to break Babe Ruth’s home run record, he received death threats. But hatred didn’t stop Hank Aaron. He persevered and remains one of the most talented and beloved baseball players of all time.

Source: Mystic Stamps